He even answered questions from readers such as this very interesting exchange. Up until his death he maintained a fascinating website about his life and the characters in Casino. Robert De Niro's character, Ace Rosenstein, is based on real-life casino boss Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal and Joe Pesci's character, Nicky Santoro, was based on the real-life gangster Tony 'The Ant' Spilotro. that Casino is based on the careers of real people. This is the section for all our 'FUN' Casino information - please enjoy! Casino (1995) | Behind the Scenes movie Facts and Features | Destination Hollywood Tribute
